Principal, Software Engineer

Walmart; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 286,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits: medical, vision, and?

401(k) and stock purchase plan

Paid time off and leaves

Live Better U education program

Job summary

Walmart seeks a Principal Software Engineer to lead platform engineering, delivering scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling across teams. You will guide the full software lifecycle, architect AI-enabled apps, and mentor engineers to elevate architectural standards.

The role drives collaboration with cross-functional partners to align engineering with business goals while ensuring reliability and performance in a dynamic retail environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related field and 5 years’ experience.
• Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
• Master’s degree in computer science or related field is preferred with 3 years' experience; familiarity with WCAG and accessible design is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling.
• Drive full software lifecycle management across multiple teams.
• Architect and implement AI-enhanced applications and real-time data processing systems.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influencing architectural standards and engineering excellence.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into actionable technical requirements.
• Ensure technical ownership by delivering quality solutions and proactively resolving challenges.
• Foster continuous improvement through innovation and best practices.

Skills

Platform engineering leadership

Cloud-native architecture

AI/ML integration

CI/CD practices

Python

Java

C++

Mentorship

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE/IS

7 years software engineering experience

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Job description

Position Summary...

What you'll do...

Role summary:

The Principal Software Engineer leads platform engineering initiatives, delivering scalable, cloud-native solutions and reusable infrastructure across multiple teams. This role drives the full software development lifecycle, integrating AI/ML capabilities and ensuring system reliability and performance. The position requires strategic technical leadership, mentorship, and collaboration with cross-functional partners to align engineering efforts with business goals. The ideal candidate applies sound technical judgment, fosters innovation, and continuously improves processes while maintaining high standards of quality and operational excellence in a dynamic environment.

About the team:

The International Transactions team develops and maintains systems that enable seamless, high-availability checkout experiences across global markets. This team ensures customers can confidently amend orders post-purchase while protecting millions of transactions from fraud in real time. Positioned at the critical intersection of customer experience, financial integrity, and operational reliability, the team’s work directly impacts revenue, trust, and safety worldwide. Members apply expertise in platform design, API development, cloud-native architecture, and data-driven decision-making to deliver scalable, resilient solutions supporting Walmart’s global operations and enhancing the overall customer journey.

What you’ll do:

• Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling aligned with strategic roadmaps.
• Drive full software development lifecycle management, including design, testing, deployment, and maintenance across multiple teams.
• Architect and implement AI-enhanced applications and intelligent systems supporting high availability and real-time data processing.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influencing architectural standards and promoting engineering excellence.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into actionable technical requirements and measurable success metrics.
• Ensure technical ownership by delivering quality solutions and resolving complex challenges proactively.
• Foster continuous improvement through innovation, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices.

What you’ll bring:

• Extensive experience in platform engineering leadership, delivering scalable and reliable infrastructure solutions.
• Proven expertise in cloud-native architecture and distributed system design for high availability and fault tolerance.
• Strong technical skills in AI/ML integration, software development lifecycle, and continuous integration/deployment practices.
• Proficiency in model-driven design and modern programming languages including Python, Java, and C++.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical mentorship and influence architectural decisions across teams.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on operational metrics and customer-centric outcomes.
• Effective collaboration and communication skills with cross-functional stakeholders.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.

You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.

For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices.

Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.

For Information About Benefits And Eligibility, See One.Walmart.

The annual salary range for this position is $143,000.00 - $286,000.00

Additional Compensation Includes Annual Or Quarterly Performance Bonuses.

• Stock

Minimum Qualifications:

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 3 years' experience in software engineering or related area., We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Primary Location:

815 Eleventh Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-4731, United States of America

Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.